


Masked Up

by afterafternoons



Category: The Book of Mormon - Ambiguous Fandom, The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: 12daysofBOM, Anxiety, Barista!Connor, Disowned, Faceless, M/M, Secret Identity, Twitch Streamer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28084494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterafternoons/pseuds/afterafternoons
Summary: “Can I get a Venti White Mocha with Toffee Nut?” Kevin orders.“Yeah, of course.” Connor answers, “Can I get a preferred name?”Kevin stutters, “A preferred name?”In which Kevin has a secret online identity.
Relationships: Elder "Connor" McKinley/Kevin Price, Elder Church/Elder Thomas (Book of Mormon Musical), Kevin Price/Other(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29
Collections: 12 Days of Book of Mormon (2020)





	Masked Up

**Author's Note:**

> ...Is the title from "Cat Girls are Ruining My Life!" ...Yes.
> 
> Also, this is Day 2 of 12DaysofBoM.

Kevin Price was _supposed_ to do something incredible. 

That’s how the story goes. 

A young Mormon, full of promise, devoted to his faith…there was only one _small_ problem. 

Kevin gave easily to temptation. (He always had, ever since a certain _donut_ incident at age five.) 

~*~

“You’re, like, the smartest, best, most deserving Elder the center has ever seen.” Elder Grant had praised, with a dreamy smile, and wide doe eyes — the kind of golden, honey brown Kevin wished he had — and he’d stood, just a little too close for platonic comfort, causing Kevin’s stomach to twist itself into knots as his heart pounded, wildly, against his chest. 

_Butterflies_. 

Kevin wet his bottom lip, drinking Elder Grant in — forgetting himself, as he stood his ground, preening at the compliment. That was, until he remembered just _where_ exactly he was. 

_The Mission Training Center_. 

Something in Kevin changed. A switch had flipped, and Kevin’s walls shot back up as he straightened, looking to his other Elders. “Aw,” He’d smiled, that perfect, practiced smile, and he’d shook his head, modestly, “come on you guys.”

~*~

Nothing further came of his… infatuation with Elder Grant, but the way he responded to positive, male adulation hadn’t gone unnoticed by his District Leader, Elder Parker. 

“You’re a good boy, Kevin.” Elder Parker had praised, his fingers working through Kevin’s hair as he had tilted Kevin’s head back, pressing kisses to his jaw, “I’m proud of you.”

And that alone had been enough to _consummate_ their excommunication. 

It was probably also the last time anyone told Kevin Price they were proud of him. 

~*~

“You were a good boy, Kevin.” His mother had said, past tense, distant, and disappointed when she and his father had picked him up from the airport, a year and a half earlier than they were supposed to. “What happened?”

She couldn’t meet his eyes, and he didn’t dare try to plead his case. 

There was no magic excuse that could get him out of this. He’d dug his own grave, and he’d have to lie in it. He knew that. 

His father never said a word. 

~*~

Second chances don’t exist in the Price household. 

They never had. 

That’s why Kevin had never come clean about the whole _donut_ thing. If he _had_ confessed, he would’ve ruined the Sunday morning pastry ritual for everybody, and he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if his siblings resented him for the rest of his life over a _maple glazed donut_. 

The biggest slap on the wrist Jack got for Kevin’s lie was a fourteen day grounding and two weeks without a Sunday morning pastry. 

Jack got Kevin back in due time, and all was right in the Price house… 

For the next fourteen years, at least, until Kevin had _‘chosen’_ the path of sin and homosexuality. 

Somehow, he’d become a dark stain on the Price family name. 

His parents refused to talk to him. His oldest brother, Ethan, refused to even acknowledge his existence, and against his own volition, Jack couldn’t even bring himself to look at Kevin without looking like he’d just watch someone kick a puppy. 

And to add insult to injury, Kevin was cut off from all contact with his youngest siblings, Hannah and Colin. 

~*~

If anyone knows what it was like to be exiled by the Price family, it’s his oldest sister, Ellen. 

She’s kind enough to let him crash in her guest room until he can get back on his feet. 

And despite not having seen his sister for thirteen years, she looks the same to him. If not happier, what with the weight of the Price family off her shoulders, and she’d even shed their name — marrying longtime boyfriend, Nick Caldwell. 

~*~

“It’s a beautiful day to find a job, Kevvy!” Ellen announces as she draws the curtains in the guest bedroom, flooding the room with light. 

Kevin groans, burying his head under his pillow, and in retaliation, Ellen climbs onto the bed, whacking him with a rolled up newspaper. 

“I brought you the classifieds.” She says, in a sing-song voice. 

“No one finds a job in the paper anymore.” Kevin says into his mattress, “This isn’t _The Sims_.” 

“And no one finds a job if they aren’t actively looking.” Ellen replies pointedly. 

“And what if I’m actively avoiding it?” 

Ellen rips the pillow away, tossing it clear across the room and Kevin pulls his blanket up over his head, annoyed. “Kevin!” She scolds, “Being an island representative on your little _Animal Crossing_ game is hardly a job, and the raccoon isn’t paying you for your labor either. You _need_ to find a _real_ job.”

Kevin whines. 

Ellen flops onto the bed beside him, hitting the newspaper lightly against the palm of her opposite hand in thought. “You know, you could become a _Twitch streamer_ for all I care as long as you’re making an income. I’m not making you pay rent, and I’m not asking you to pay me back for any of the food you’ve eaten, but you have to do something other than… stew in your own sadness.” 

“I’m not stewing.” Kevin says defensively. 

“It’s not a bad thing, Kev.” Ellen replies, “Your family disowned you and you haven’t seen the guy whose dick you sucked on Mission for over six months… you have every right to be depressed.” 

Kevin pulls the blanket down to look at her, “Are you saying I need to get laid?” 

“I’m not _not_ saying that.” She shrugs. 

She has the same mischievous smirk as Jack. Kevin tries not to miss his brother. 

And if Kevin still had his pillow, he would hit her with it. 

“...What if I did stream on Twitch?” He asks, instead. 

“Would you want to?” She replies, “It was kind of a throwaway comment, but if that interests you, I won’t limit your creativity.” 

“I have a friend from high school who does.” Kevin shrugs in reply, “It seems kind of interesting.”   
  
“It’d be a big middle finger to Mom and Dad.” Ellen laughs, “And Nick would watch you, if that’s any incentive.”

“You wouldn’t?” Kevin teases. 

Wordlessly, Ellen slips out of the bed without answer, tossing the pillow back at him on her way out. 

After some thought, he shoots Arnold a DM from his insta spam. 

~*~

_calamitouslakes: hey, do you still stream on twitch?_

_notarnxld: yeah! i’ll be live later!_

_calamitouslakes: how hard is streaming…_

_calamitouslakes: …like… do you think i could start?_

_notarnxld: yeah, ofc! i can facetime u later, talk u through it_

~*~

Kevin and Arnold haven’t spoken since high school, but Arnold had always welcomed Kevin with open arms, and Kevin had always found that endearing, even if he _was_ a little odd. 

“I like the Taylor Swift reference in your username, by the way.” Is the first thing Arnold says to him, and they talk for three hours about the intricacies of streaming and the equipment Kevin would need to start. 

“Do I have to have a webcam?” Kevin finds himself asking, anxiously. “I’m like… at the top of the most hated Mormon list, so, you could say I’m a _little_ anxious.”

“If it’s any consolation,” Arnold says, “I think Ted Bundy beats you out the top spot by about a mile.”

Kevin’s glad that Arnold doesn’t care to pry, even if he’s not totally sure what the proper response is to that random bit of trivia. “But yeah, totally,” Arnold continues, “there’s a couple guys who are faceless. I think that would be cool… you could have, like, a codename. Yeah, that’d be dope.” 

“You mean an alias?” 

“Yeah.” Arnold nods, “Yeah, an alias. You’d be like Bruce Wayne and on stream you’d be Batman. In fact you could… just use your screen name.” 

“...And out myself as a Taylor Swift fan?” Kevin asks, not following the Batman analogy. 

“Where’s the shame in that?” Arnold snorts, “It’d give you something to bond with your subscribers over, and they could call you Lake, or something.” 

“Wait.” Kevin says, the gears in his head turning, “I kind of like that idea…” 

~*~

Once Kevin’s platform takes off and he starts profiting from his streams, he moves out of Ellen’s house and into a shoebox apartment of his own.

It feels like a big accomplishment, no matter the size… if only his parents could see him now. 

~*~

For someone who grew up in the spotlight, Kevin couldn’t have possibly anticipated just how much he _prefers_ to be faceless. 

It’s eased some anxieties… and amplified others. 

_If only his parents could see him now_ , he finds himself thinking more often these days.

They’d be _mortified_. 

And every day Kevin’s inbox is flooded — comments on his tweets, his Instagram posts, and private DM’s on every platform. People are watching him, in no small part to Arnold’s help, and he relishes that, but his fans want more than he feels comfortable giving, and every day, month after month, the messages are relatively the same:

_“when will we get a face reveal, lake?”_

_“guys, stop bothering lake for a face reveal. we aren’t entitled to anything and you KNOW he has anxiety. if you choose to make it worse? YOU’RE part of the problem!”_

_“if lake’s face is ever leaked… i would simply gouge my own eyes out.”_

Kevin gets hundreds of thousands of variations of these messages. Admittedly, the last ones make him laugh, and he appreciates the support from his viewers, but he just wishes his decision to remain anonymous online wasn’t something people fought over… 

The best way to ignore the peer pressure, he finds, is by not responding to it at all. 

~*~

_calamitouslakes is live: among us!_

“Hey guys,” Kevin greets as views start rolling in, “this is kind of an impromptu and chill live… uhm, James and Arnold DM’ed me saying they needed one more player, so I decided to hop on.”

Kevin’s character is white, with a little sticky note attached to its face shield that reads ‘DUM.’ He’s also opted to have a hamster. 

In the lobby around him various other streamers run about, waiting for the game to start. 

“This is proximity chat Among Us, by the way.” He adds, for those who don’t know.

“I think we’re good to start.” Someone says, a female voice Kevin doesn’t recognize. In fact, the only people he knows in this lobby are Arnold Cunningham and James Church. 

He’d met James through Arnold, but Arnold remains the only person who knows his true identity. 

“Lake, I think you’re muted.” James says.

“Can you hear me?” Kevin says, fiddling with his settings.

“There we go!” Comes James’ reply, “Lake, everyone. Everyone, Lake.”

Variations of “hi” and “nice to meet you!” flood in and Kevin stutters out, “Hi.”

Desperately, Kevin doesn’t want to be an imposter for the first round. 

_SHHHHHHH!_

_Crewmate: There are_ **_two imposters_ ** _among us._

Kevin breathes a sigh of relief. 

~*~

Three hours later, Kevin finds himself in a Starbucks drive-thru, his social battery thoroughly depleted. 

He pulls up to the menu board, the barista’s face visible in the corner of the order screen like a FaceTime call — and it’s a weird juxtaposition… Kevin, spending the past three hours faceless, while the barista is on full display for drive-thru customers.

Part of him wishes he wasn’t so anxious all of the time. 

“Hi, welcome to Starbucks. My name’s—” The barista stops short, laughing awkwardly when he notes Kevin looking at him, puzzled, “oh, that’s my bad. I didn’t realize my screen was still up. My, uh, last customer was deaf so I was signing… You know these masks don’t really help the whole situation.”

It’s a little bit too much information for Kevin, but he’ll disagree… 

If there’s any plus side to come out of this pandemic, it’s the fact that Kevin gets to cover his face all of the time. It makes him feel a little more secure in his decision to remain faceless. 

“That’s cool.” He says conversationally, “You know sign?”

“Yeah.” The barista replies, getting himself back on track, “Sorry, I’m Connor. What can I get started for you today?”

“Can I get a Venti White Mocha with Toffee Nut?” Kevin orders.

“Yeah, of course.” Connor answers, “Can I get a preferred name?”

Kevin stutters, “A _preferred_ name?”

Connor looks back at him, through the screen, “I mean… I can write, like, _Obama_ if that’s what you want.”

“No, uh,” Kevin gathers himself — he’s feeling a bit like pushing boundaries today, feeling a bit stifled in his current predicament but not entirely committed to changing the situation entirely, “ _Lake_ is fine.” 

Connor remains unphased. 

He doesn’t know _who_ Kevin is. 

His brief daredevil moment had yielded zero results. Imagine if it had… imagine if he’d blown it all at a Starbucks, of all places. 

Now, he feels dumb.

“Alright, Lake.” Connor grins, “I’ll have your total at the window.”

If Connor notices the internal war Kevin’s having, he doesn’t say anything. Kevin pulls up.

“I like your mask.” Connor says when Kevin pulls up to the window. It’s black and sequined, and he’d pilfered it off Ellen the last time he’d visited, having forgotten his own. Now it sits in his car as a spare. 

“Thanks.” Kevin replies, handing his card through the window, “I like your, uh, nail polish.”

Connor flexes his free hand, inserting Kevin’s card into the card reader. “Thanks, I was peer pressured into it, but I like it a lot, actually.” 

“Yeah, it’s cool.” Kevin agrees, and Connor hands his card back through the window. His coffee following not too long after. 

“Have a good rest of your day!” 

~*~

Kevin returns to Starbucks the following day, his social battery once again depleted via streaming and he’s… oddly happy to see Connor’s face on the board once again. 

“Hey.” Connor greets, scooping his hand into a wave. Kevin thinks he’s seen this trend on tiktok, and beneath his mask, he laughs, shaking his head. 

“I’m just messing with you.” Connor says, “Venti White Mocha with Toffee Nut?” 

Kevin blinks, “You remembered?” 

“Not too many cute guys lately.” Connor confesses with a shrug, “Can I get you anything else?” 

Kevin likes that he’s blunt… he decides to give this whole ‘ _daredevil_ ’ thing another go.

“Actually, yeah, can I get your snap?” 

Connor’s smile reaches his eyes, even behind the mask, “It would be an honor.” 

~*~

Connor sends the first snap. 

_c.mckinley: [Connor holds the phone at arms length, posing outside of his work as the sun begins to set.] off duty_

Kevin stares at the snap longer than he cares to admit, too scared to send a photo of his own in return.

He wonders now why he hadn’t just asked for his number. He’d just figured, _everyone has a snap_ , without considering the fact that everyone _also_ has a phone number. 

The fact of the matter is, Kevin’s got this weird thing about self portraits… He can’t look in a mirror without hating himself, not since his Mission. And the only photographs that exist of him used to line the walls of his childhood home. He often wonders if his mom has taken them down…

After Ellen left, only one picture remained to solidify her existence. It was a Christmas photo, with a mall Santa that hung in the stairwell. Kevin had been a baby, Ellen in her early teens, and Jack and Ethan were there too, grinning. Back when life was simple and depoliticized, and everyone thought Kevin would grow up to be straight. 

Unsure what to respond, Kevin sends a photo of his dinner. He’s eating a microwaved Stauffer’s Mac ‘N Cheese for the third night in a row… 

It’s not that he doesn’t have money, it’s that he likes when the cheese on the edge of the bowl gets crispy. 

_calamitouslakes: [A sad photo of Kevin’s dinner with a black and white filter over it.] I was stupid to ask for your snap… I hate taking photos of myself._

His phone pings almost immediately after he’s hit send. 

Connor’s sent him a text chat. 

_c.mckinley: that’s okay!_

His bitmoji sits in the chat as Kevin’s fingers hover over the keyboard. Kevin never got around to making himself a bitmoji. 

_calamitouslakes: i really didn’t think this whole flirting thing through_

_c.mckinley: i thought you were really smooth_

_c.mckinley: the first impression is what matters most, isn’t it?_

Kevin just hopes Connor doesn’t Google his username. Everything he needs to figure out who he is is right in front of him. 

This could be Kevin’s stupidest decision yet, but he runs with it anyway. 

All in the name of moving on, like Ellen had once advised. 

_calamitouslakes: scared to let you down when we’ve gotten this far_

_c.mckinley: you could never. although, i will say, your order does need some work…_

_calamitouslakes: day two and you’re criticizing my order?_

_c.mckinley: …_

_c.mckinley: not only was i captivated by your beauty… but your god awful life decisions as well_

Kevin laughs out loud at that. 

_calamitouslakes: ...don’t know if it bears reminding, but you’ve only seen half my face._

_calamitouslakes: please do enlighten me, though, about my god awful life decisions_

_c.mckinley: well for one…_

_c.mckinley: TOFFEE NUT?_

_c.mckinley: that, pardon my french, shit tastes like squirrel piss._

_calamitouslakes: those are some strong opinions about toffee nut…_

_c.mckinley: i also have some reservations about the very sad microwave dinner pic you sent me_

_calamitouslakes: do you have a better suggestion?_

_c.mckinley: for the drink? always. for the dinner? ...i would say let me take you out, but miss rona put an end to indoor dining._

_calamitouslakes: i do hear that zoom dates are all the rage._

As soon as Kevin sends that, he regrets it. He doesn’t know why he keeps digging himself into a deeper hole with this whole… Hannah Montana thing. 

It’s not like Connor knows who he is. 

Nor does he think Connor would leak his face if he did find out, but he can never really trust other people's intentions. Those fears installed into him with his parent’s disownment. 

Kevin really doesn’t want to go on an online date the more he dwells on it, but he’d already put his foot in his mouth. 

_c.mckinley: and you wouldn’t even have to turn your camera on._

A sigh of relief. At least he’s understanding. 

_c.mckinley: i like my men like you’re about to like your coffee… mysterious._

_c.mckinley: swing by around lunchtime tomorrow and i’ll introduce you to your new order ;)_

~*~

“You can go right ahead and pull up to the next window, my dear.” Connor greets when Kevin pulls up to the menu box in his shitty Honda the next day. 

Kevin does as he’s told. 

Connor’s half leaning out the window by the time he arrives. “Are you free tonight?” He asks, as Kevin hands over his card. 

He’s suddenly _very_ aware that Connor could just look at the name on his card, but he’s not paying that much attention to the transaction itself as he is to flirting. 

Kevin swallows, “No, I’m free.” 

“Snap me an address. I’ll DoorDash you dinner for our _date_.” 

“That’s tonight?” 

Connor hands his card back, “You’re free aren’t you?” 

Fair point. 

“What are you ordering me again and how much did it cost?” Kevin asks, changing the subject as he slides his card back into his wallet. 

“It costs the same as your squirrel piss, the rest is a secret.” Connor grins, handing his drink through the window, “See you tonight, Lake!” 

Kevin’s really risking it all for a boy. He feels like an idiot. 

~*~

“What do you do for a living?” Connor asks through the screen, he’s sitting at a dinner table, one leg propped up on the chair, and pulled against his chest as he picks at the Chinese takeout he’d ordered. 

It feels like first date food, and he’d asked Kevin if he’d had any allergies beforehand. 

“Oh, uhm, I—” Kevin starts, positioned off camera, he doesn’t have an excuse for this. 

Connor looks at him, “Is that too personal?” 

“Is it weird if I say yes?” Kevin asks, defeated 

Connor goes back to eating his food, “So you’re a hitman _or_ a serial killer, that’s cool… Next question. What’s your body count?”

Kevin almost chokes. 

“I’m kidding.” Connor’s quick to say, worry written across his face, “Please don’t choke, I can’t do the heimlich via Zoom.” 

~*~ 

By the fifth date Kevin feels bad being elusive.

“You asked about my career.” Kevin says. Tonight, they’re eating tacos. 

“No, I said ‘how was your day?’” Connor repeats, reaching to click around on his trackpad, “Is my mic not working?” 

“No,” Kevin laughs, “on our first date. You asked about my employment.” 

“Oh, yeah, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m casually dating a serial killer. It would explain the toffee nut thing, but please, expand. I won’t go to the police.” Connor jokes. 

Kevin shakes his head with a small laugh. 

“No, I’m not a serial killer.” He says, assuredly, “But I… need complete and total discretion, if I tell you this.”

“Lake…” Connor says, confused, the tone shifting, “You can trust me.” 

“I know.” Kevin swallows, “I know… I was, uhm, raised Mormon, and then I was excommunicated, for being gay, and then… I was disowned, so I’ve spent a lot of time alone. Uhm, I used to have a really big family behind me, and a really big Church family too, and then I had no one. So, it’s a really complicated and sort of dumb story, but I started streaming on Twitch. I have a… good platform. I do well for myself, but I’m faceless, and people have decided to make that their personal business for some reason. And everyday, I’m afraid people will find out who I am, but everyday I also think about saying ‘ _fuck it_ ’ and just… exposing myself and beating everyone to the punch.” 

Connor’s quiet, nodding. “I know how you feel, more than you could know.” He says, after a beat of silence, “My _very_ Mormon family disowned me for being gay too. I’m lucky enough to have a really supportive found family, but I know not everyone does, and I’m sorry that you feel lonely.” 

There’s another beat of silence. 

“I think this issue is sensitive for you.” He says, cautiously, mindful of Kevin’s feelings, “It kind of sounds a lot like coming out, and… I don’t think anyone should do that until they’re ready, nor do I think anyone should be outed. So, your secret is safe with me, Lake.” 

“Oh, that’s another thing.” Kevin says quietly, “My name is Kevin.” 

Connor barks out a laugh, slapping a hand over his mouth. “I’m so sorry. That’s not funny.” 

Kevin laughs too, because he doesn’t know how else to respond. 

“I’m so sorry.” Connor repeats, “That your parents did you like that.”

“What’s wrong with Kevin?” Kevin laughs. 

“It’s like—” Connor’s trying not to laugh so hard that he’s crying, even as he tries to calm himself down, “I— I mean it’s better than, like, _Craig_ , but… the toffee nut thing tracks with a name like Kevin.” 

“What does that mean!” Kevin asks, dissolving into a fit of giggles. 

Connor’s wheezing so hard he’s slapping the table. “I’m not taking questions at this time.” He says, waving his hand through the air, “Please, I’m trying to be sensitive here.” 

“I should have left the last part out.” Kevin jokes. 

“No,” Connor breathes, “no. Kevin’s a fine name. It’s not as magical as Lake, but it’s fine.” He thinks for a second before adding, “It kind of sucks, but it’s fine. I forgive you.”

“As long as you forgive me.” Kevin teases, “For a name I didn’t choose for myself.” 

“You did do better the second time around.” Connor admits, “Lake is a pretty dope name.” 

“Actually we can thank my friend Arnold and Taylor Swift for that one.” 

“Oh my God, wait, you’re named Lake because your username— is a—” Connor’s having an epiphany, and Kevin let’s him walk himself through it, “Everything makes sense now. Wait— you know Arnold Cunningham?”

“I never said Arnold’s last name.” Kevin says, “Are you sure you’re not the serial killer.” 

“Darling, I’m a _barista_. You know this.” Connor replies. 

“And you could have looked at my card every single time I paid and you never did.” 

“Oh my God!” Connor laughs, before circling back, “But you know Arnold Cunningham? Serious question.” 

“Yes, we went to high school together and he’s the one who helped me get into streaming.” Kevin answers. 

Connor screams. 

“My best friend's boyfriend, James Church, is friends with Arnold. We all hang out all the time.” 

It’s Kevin’s turn to share a stunned silence. “I know James, we stream together a lot, but Arnold’s the only other person who knows who I am.” 

“Oh my God, really?” Connor asks, excited. “I don’t know anything about streaming, so they may have mentioned you before, but I don’t ever really know what’s going on when it comes to that kind of stuff.” 

“What a small world.” Kevin muses. 

“I don’t ever want to force you into something you don’t want to do, but James is a safe person if you ever do want to open up to someone else.” Connor says, seriously. “Oh, can I ask a question?”

“Yeah, of course.” Kevin asks. 

Connor laughs a little, “...What does the bottom half of your face look like?”

Kevin grins, “I’ll show you when I pick up my coffee tomorrow.”

“Scandalous.” Connor grins, “I like it.” 

~*~

The next day, Kevin finds himself pulling down his mask in the Starbucks drive-thru. 

“Oh my God.” Connor gasps, “Cover that thing up, you’re built like a Greek God. _I hate you_.” 

“Can I know what’s in the drink now?” Kevin pleads, as Connor hands it over.

“It’s a Caramel Macchiato with hazelnut instead of vanilla and almond milk.” Connor’s still staring at him, “You are a beautiful, beautiful man.” 

Underneath his mask, Kevin blushes. 

“Take a look in the mirror sometime.” 

“I’ll see you tonight.” Connor waves, blowing a kiss after him.

~*~

Connor ends up introducing him to James. 

“This is my boyfriend.” He says, and the second Kevin sees Arnold, he knows if they don’t spill the beans soon, Arnold won’t be able to keep a secret. 

“His name is Kevin.” Connor says, “But you might know him as Lake.” 

James extends a hand, before pulling it back confused. 

“Wait—” He says, looking back and forth between the couple, “No. This feels illegal. No.” 

“Call him.” Arnold suggests, “You have his number. Or DM him on Twitter.” 

James looks back at Arnold. “You knew?” He looks back to Kevin. “Look at you, oh my God.” 

Before they proceed with introductions, James does test call him and a picture of James’ face appears on Kevin’s screen. 

“James from Twitch” The Caller ID reads as Kevin holds it up. 

“Stop.” James says, “I can’t look at you. I mean I shouldn’t, right, that’s rude? This feels so illegal, dude.” 

Kevin laughs, “It’s okay. I’ve been thinking about doing a face reveal for a while, but I figured… I’d start with my friends.” 

“This feels like seeing a nude in public.” James says. 

Connor quirks an eyebrow, “What?” 

“I don’t know what I’m saying, this is surreal.” James admits. “Wow. Sorry, Kevin, you said? Nice to meet you in person.” 

~*~

In the coming months, dating Connor, Kevin does end up doing a face reveal… a half face reveal, if we’re being honest.   
  


Well... they’re both masked up, so it’s like a quarter face reveal, but it’s good enough for Kevin. 

“I ain’t never seen two pretty best friends…” He captions the Instagram story, knowing it’ll make the rounds on the likes of Twitter, Tumblr and Reddit. “Always one of ‘em gotta be ugly.” 

Connor is posed behind him in the photo as they walk down the sidewalk. He tags Connor in the photo too. Everyone will easily be able to see what he looks like because his account is public.

Notifications pour in all day, but Kevin turns his phone off. 

“I have seen two pretty best friends.” James admits when Kevin joins the stream later, earning a laugh. “Congrats on breaking the Internet. How’ve you been?” 

“My phone’s been off all day.” Kevin admits, “And I’m afraid to read the chat.” 

“Everyone be respectful to my friend.” James says, addressing his own chat. 

“And I won’t be making a habit of this either.” Kevin adds, “I think I’m fine with it being a one off thing and I hope everyone respects that.”

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a District Nine plays Among Us fic out on Day 12. You just gotta wait, I promise. 
> 
> My Tumblr is @afterafternoons // kudos & comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
